The FTSE 100 traded higher on Thursday, hovering near a record high after the Bank of England voted 6-3 to keep its Bank Rate unchanged at 3.75%, compared with market expectations of a 7-2 split. Corporate earnings also drove market moves. Shell gained around 1.1% after reporting its strongest quarterly profit since early 2022 and announcing a fresh share buyback. Rolls-Royce surged more than 5% after upgrading its 2026 guidance, while BAE Systems advanced about 1% after raising its sales outlook. Lloyds Banking climbed 1% after beating profit forecasts, unveiling a new five-year strategy and launching a GBP 1 billion share buyback. On the downside, LSE Group fell nearly 4% despite improving guidance and announcing a GBP 1.4 billion buyback. British American Tobacco, Haleon, and Rentokil Initial also declined after earnings updates, with Rentokil plunging more than 16% on a cautious outlook despite meeting profit expectations.